1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a state determining device, an image processing apparatus, a state determining method, and a computer program product.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, in an image processing apparatus such as a facsimile device, a printer device, a copying device, a scanner device, or a multifunction peripheral; product development is done while taking into account the recycling of various components.
Particularly, in an image processing apparatus, drive motors are used to run movable components for the purpose of image reading or image formation. The drive motors are subject to drive control in such a way that the deterioration of the movable components does not lead to any variation in the running state. For example, in an image processing apparatus, if the deterioration of the movable components results in an increase in the processing load, the drive currents that flow into the drive motors are adjusted according to the processing load so as to ensure that the movable components run at the same speed.
Moreover, in the past, an image forming apparatus has been disclosed in which the state of the image forming apparatus, particularly the intensity of the processing load, is determined based on the current waveform during the driving period of a motor that drives components (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2011-197258).
However, in the conventional technology, since the intensity of the processing load is determined based on the current waveform during the driving period of the motor, it becomes necessary to install a sophisticated and expensive circuit configuration for the purpose of detecting the changes in the current waveform. Hence, improvement is necessary in order to accurately and inexpensively detect the changes in the processing load.
Therefore, there is a need for a state determining device capable of accurately and inexpensively determining the state of a driving system of driven components that are driven by drive motors.